MEN'S BASKETBALL GRABS FIRST WIN AND WOMEN LOOK TO BREAK TO REGROUP.A weekly recap of UMES Athletics by Jennifer Jones

Dec. 8, 2008

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) men’s basketball team netted their first win of the season at home while the women’s team continues to struggle early this season. Both teams will hit the road again to close out 2008. Sophomore Josephine McLane and freshman Tyler Hines were named the UMES Athletes of the Week for the period ending Nov. 30.

McLane, of the women's basketball team, made her first two starts of the season in the Iona Thanksgiving Classic, tying her career high with 16 points and four rebounds against University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) on Nov. 30.

Hines, of the men's basketball team, recorded a double-double Nov. 29 at Kennesaw State with 16 points and 10 rebounds. He was 7-of-8 from the field and grabbed six offensive boards. Hines led three Hawks in double figures in the game.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

UMES came back from a 12 point deficit to pull within three points four times in the final nine minutes of play in their loss to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival Delaware State 59-48 in Dover, Del.

Sophomore Marc Davis, playing in his first game since a season-opening loss at Stony Brook due to injury, scored a team-high 15 points and added three assists for the Hawks (0-5, 0-1 MEAC).

Hines chipped in with 10 points and three rebounds for UMES.

"Our kids gave great effort, for the most part," said UMES Head Coach Frankie Allen. "They hustled and did some things well. We had some key moments where we didn't come up with loose balls, long rebounds and gave them second-chance opportunities."

Neal Pitt had eight points and five rebounds before fouling out late in the game. Sammy Obetoh also tallied eight with four boards in the loss.

Freshman Keishawn Mayes scored a team-high 13 points and had seven rebounds as the men's basketball team recorded their first win of the season, defeating NJIT 46-42 at home in the William P. Hytche Center.

The come-from-behind win for UMES (1-5) is its first since Feb. 12, 2007, snapping a 12-game losing skid. With the loss, NJIT (0-7) has dropped 40 consecutive games, 20 of which have been on the road.

Pitt was the only other Hawk in double figures with 12 points and seven boards, while freshman Jaime Boyer contributed six points and six boards.

"I'm really proud of how we hung in there, it was a good win for us and hopefully we can build on this," said Allen. "Sometimes when you're zero-for-whatever, getting that first win kind of takes that monkey off your back a little bit."

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

After a disappointing weekend at the Iona Thanksgiving Classic, the women's basketball team walked away with a consolation prize. Freshman Kanzes Battin was named to the All-Iona Thanksgiving Classic team.

The 6-0 forward came into the tournament averaging just five minutes per game and only one field goal this season. By Sunday afternoon, Battin had shattered her career highs in minutes, points and rebounds. Against UMBC, she scored 13 points and was just four rebounds shy of her first double-double with a team-high six rebounds.

Battin finished second in rebounds and in the top ten for field goal percentage when compared with all the athletes in the tournament.

UMES dropped their fifth straight match to American University (AU) 66-40 at home in the William P. Hytche Center.

"I think we're off to a rough start," said Head Coach Fred Batchelor. "But it'll get better. I see us getting better."

Freshman Adobi Agbasi led the Lady Hawks, posting a team and career-high nine points with four blocks. Battin and Bria Jackson finished with six points apiece.

It has been a tough season for the Lady Hawks so far. UMES is now 0-5 and can't seem to find the spark that had them hitting 60-percent of their shots this time last year. Averaging 45.6 points per game, the Lady Hawks are just three games away from conference play.

Batchelor said, "I believe we can fight through anything because I've seen losses like the ones we're having and those teams end up winning championships."

UPCOMING GAMES

Men’s basketball is back on the road, travelling to New York to face the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on December 8 for a 4 p.m. tip off.

The Lady Hawks will have two weeks to regroup before they face North Carolina Central University on December 19 in Durham, N.C.